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Agenda item 2 is a paper on the reporter system. It is fairly self-explanatory, so I will just invite comments on it before we move to the recommendation, which is to continue the system in a revised form. Are there any comments before we move to the decision? I call Marlyn Glen.
The reporter system is an equitable way of moving issues forward, so I am all in favour of it. It breaks down the workload and gives us specific tasks in addition to our general committee membership role. It will, perhaps, give us a little more expertise in the areas that we are allocated or for which we nominate ourselves.
Thank you, Hugh, but I ask you to act through the convener, to avoid any complications.
My apologies.
I agree that we should continue with the reporter system. I am not trying to be scary, but I should say that some of the work that was done by reporters is not in any reports, although it is no less important for that. Reporters do a lot of really interesting background work. It is important that we continue with the reporter system.
What happened to reporters' background work that is not in reports? Is it still available or was it lost in the system?
Do you have specific examples, Marlyn?
As the reporter on race, I attended a couple of conferences, including an interesting one at Tulliallan about police work and equality, and another on Gypsy Travellers. Although I did not write formal reports, as the conferences had their own reports, I used in committee what I had learned, for example in questioning ministers and other witnesses. Such work is useful, but it does not necessarily form a huge piece of written work.
That is fine—I was worried that someone had produced written work that was then lost. Thank you for clarifying that.
Do members agree that the committee should continue with the reporter system and that members will take a policy strand and meet individuals, organisations and stakeholders that have a key interest in it?
Any issues that reporters think should be brought to the committee will be brought to it and further action on them will be discussed.
Can I have a volunteer to act as reporter for the disability strand?
I volunteer.
Are members happy that Bill Kidd should be the reporter for the disability strand?
Elaine Smith, who has shown a committed interest in gender policy for a number of years, has indicated her interest in reporting on the gender strand. Are members happy that she should do so?
Can I have a volunteer to act as reporter for the race strand?
I am happy to do so.
Marlyn Glen is happy to continue to be the reporter for the race strand. Can I have a volunteer to be the reporter for the religion and belief strand?
I volunteer for that.
We come to the sexual orientation strand. The committee is still a Labour member short, and we still do not know who will be appointed. Do members agree that I should write to the Labour business manager to clarify the situation and find out who will be appointed and when it will happen?
Bill Wilson said that he would like us to consider adopting human rights as a separate equalities strand. The clerks have said that they will prepare a paper on the issue and bring it to the committee. We can take matters from there. Do members agree that we should proceed in that way and leave open the position of reporter for the sexual orientation strand until we know who will be appointed to the committee from the Labour group?
As members have no other comments, I have pleasure in closing the meeting.
Meeting closed at 11:42.
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